LINK: Jay-Z Talks Grammys & Contract Negotiations

In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, Jay-Z speaks about the 26 Grammy nominations that Def Jam garnered this year under his watch. He also addresses recent rumors that the re-negotiation of his presidential Def Jam contract had come to a standstill because he wanted an unrealistic amount of money to stay at the company. Here is an excerpt:

So I gotta ask you: It’s December now. How are you feeling about your contract at Def Jam? That’s coming up soon.
You know, it’s active. We’ll see how it turns out. I mean, we’re close. So we’ll know in the next couple of weeks how it turns out.

The New York Daily News said last week that talks were stalling because you made some big demands. Is there any truth to that?
No.

So from your perspective, do you think you’ll be at Def Jam next year?
Yeah, I think — I don’t know. Let me not even say that. I don’t know. We’ll see how it goes. But seriously, it’s not about money. That’s really the last thing. Of course, as a person that does these type of things and puts his heart and soul into it — and it’s effective, as the Grammys would indicate — you want to be compensated for what you do. But it’s really not about money. It’s really about the future of the music business, and not wasting anyone’s time. I don’t ever want to sit in a seat just to sit in a seat. I could be off doing something else that’s beneficial to the future of the music business as well as myself. So it’s not about money! I mean, you couldn’t pay me enough. And I don’t mean that in a cocky way.

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http://kellsfetish.com Lo-Doe

Whatever the issue is, they (Def Jam) should try to meet Jay demands or come to a compromised position in their agreement. If they don’t give him what he is asking for, he’ll probably get from some where else!!!

Its time for everyone to grow up and stop the hating. Jigga did his job landing 26 Grammy nominations for Def Jam. People will over look the fact that he did it. As far as records, “Kingdom Come” like “Reasonable Doubt” will be considered a classic is due time.

Only when the younger generation start loving the music as a complete package, record sales will go up. Complete package= creative, lyrical, lessons learned, beats, delivery and promotion.

Limewire, Aries, and Napster will not stop the music business.

jonathan

NIGGA MAKE IT OUT TO BE WHATEVER YOU WANT IT TO BE ABOUT! YOUR A FUCKING CLOWN NIGGA! WHO NEEDS TO FEEL STRONG BY PICKING ON SOMEONE THATS DOWN! YOUR THE SAME AS 50 YOU AND PUFF! YOU NIGGAS IS FUCKING CLOWNS! ITS NOT ABOUT MONEY! NIGGA THATS ALL ITS ABOUT! AND FEAR! AND YOU NIGGAS IS LUCKY! TRUST ME! GOODLUCK! CLOWN! TRY TO FRONT TO SOMEONE ELSE CAUSE YOU WILL NEVER FOOL ME! NIGGA I WAS THERE FROM DAY ONE! OH IS IT BECAUSE OF THE NOT POSITIVE LINE I REPEATED OUT OF NAS SONG! YOUR A FUCKING CHUMP NIGGA! GROW THE FUCK UP!

wow “jonathan” who the hell are you and what are you talkin about dude…honestly…

Mr.Wang

jonathan can go EAT A FAT DICK!

AZ40

It is about money and his ego…everyone who know jay-z says he has the biggest ego ever they won’t say his name directly but indicate its him. Grammys don’t mean much…IN CASE YOU MISSED IT SOULJA BOY WAS NOMINATED TOO…It was a slow year for the music biz artistically there weren’t that many great,good, records from majors. What good records did Def Jam put out…Really, and I don’t mean sales wise either.

L@@K @ ME!!!

“It’s really about the future of the music business…” – JAY-Z

WHAT FUTURE? HAVE YOU BEEN WATCHING SOUNDSCAN LATELY? IT’S A WRAP JIGGA, GET AS MUCH CA$H AS YOU CAN BEFORE THEY TURN OUT THE LIGHTS!

moresickaMC

You CAN’T argue with 26 Grammy noms…they’ll be falling over themselves to keep Jay.

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OH YEAH JAY IS THE GOAT

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jay-z have 26 grammy crazy

http://myspace.com/loonyt706 Loony T

They should let Soulja Boy run Def Jam. Hell, he outsold almost all their artist combined. He seems to have the next generation of effective marketing down packed.

Real Talk

Loony T says:

“They should let Soulja Boy run Def Jam. Hell, he outsold almost all their artist combined. He seems to have the next generation of effective marketing down packed.”

WTF were not talkin ringtone sales..and soulja boy is a fuckin joke..I haven’t even listened do tha cd..and that’s cus I have no respect for him or any otha rapper that comes out on gimmicks such as his and not say anything intelligent throughout tha whole song…ur proof that hip hop is dying…lol i’m 17 but I know real music…watch when lupe drop..that’s a hip hop artist..these otha bubble gum rappers r entertainers…that make music for people like u that don’t listen to real music

Capostatus

Fuck this nigga thinks he’s Bill Gates. Now how many artists at Def Jam were no 1 directly cause of Gay-z-that’s right none. I bet ya Rihanna’s umbrella song would still have been no1 even if Dehaven did the part he did. Def jam does not need jay-z or nas. He can leave and take Nas with him if he wants that bitch nigga only went gold anyway.

http://w wu bot

kind of boring.

murda mitten

Loony T tha fuck you smokin? soulja boys record flopped faster than a fat bitch on a treadmill…he mighta killed the ringtone game tho…im not hatin on soulja boy either but all record sales are shitty nowadays…but def jam got artists like rihanna and kanye which will definitely boost some numbers…besides that, freeways album, ghostface, even the new jay, they are all sick. People bitch about music sucking so much dick, but then when good music comes out no one buys the shit. Nobody can even enjoy any artist anymore becuz people are going out of their way lookin for reasons to hate. i love hip hop but it has got to be the most fickle crowd EVER.

THEGOD

i love these “insightful” debates on figures people know nothing about. and the comments…aww man theres no factual backbone. just lots of shit talking and hating i mean fo real. if it is about the money what business is ours? we don’t see a dime of what DJ is paying Hov, yet we contribute to his salary with the purchase of the products that spawn from the label. i say i want a peice of the action fuck what you heard. YES its the money because he ain’t gonna put up with the stress of the business for meer pennys. would you?

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I just wanted to say that I found your site via Goolge and I am glad I did. Keep up the good work and I will make sure to bookmark you for when I have more free time away from the books. Thanks again!